Key chain



Dec. 10, 1940. CHERNQW 2,224,721

KEY CHAIN Filed April 29, 1940 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFF-ICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to chains of the type used for personalwear and is particularly applicable to mens key chains.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a chain of the abovecharacter spelling out as links making up the chain, the full name ofthe user or other sequence of letters or characters desired, and whichmay be quickly made up to produce the complete product from a stock oflinks by a relatively unskilled sales person while the customer iswaiting, in the form of a strong chain, well balanced and not subject toknotting or jumbling of the links during use.

In the accompanying drawing in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete chain,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on a larger scale of a fragmentof the chain and taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of and from the rear side,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a greatly enlarged scale showing theassembly of elements making up the chain,

Fig. 5 is a detailed fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one initial link element of the chain.

Referring now to the drawing the main link for the key chain disclosedis illustratively shown as spelling out the name John Brown. It is madeup of a sequence of initial units one of which is shown apart in Fig. 6.Each of the initial units includes the initial proper 10 which hasunitary therewith are eye II at the median portion of the top, and aneye [2 similarly located at the bottom. Eyes II and 12 as best shown inFig. 2 extend symmetrically of the thickness of the respective initialsand protrude symmetrically beyond the two faces of the initial, the axisof each eye lying in the mid-plane of the thickness of the initial, forsymmetry and balance. One of the eyes ll, illustratively that at theupper part of the initial, is interlinked with a small jewelry ring l3.Eye [2 at the opposite end of the initial is normally open as a hook asbest shown in Fig. 6.

Accordingly it will be readily seen that the sequence of initials asselected by the customer can be readily assembled together by the salesperson, the open eye or hook l2 of each initial being passed through thering l3 of the contiguous initial and the hook being thereupon readilythe showing of Fig. 2,

closed as an eye with small pliers to complete the assembly.

Desirably the spacing between consecutive words or names as for instancebetween John and Brown, is effected by mounting a small 5 ring l5identical with ring [3 upon hook l2 which is .closed as set forth toform an eye, and by connecting the two rings l3 and I5 by a double or 8shaped connecting eye It, the eyes of which are closed over therespective rings 10 I3 and [5.

A conventional fastening ring I! is desirably connected to one end ofthe initial link by means of a small length of chain l8 which may beattached to the ring I3 of the uppermost initial by 15 means of a doubleor 8 shaped eye 20. By a similar connection 2| a longer length of chain22 carrying the key ring 23 at its lower end is connected to the lowerend of the initial link sequence desirably by eye 2|.

The eyes of the initial links according to the present invention aredesirably formed as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The strap of which eachhook or eye is made desirably tapers in width, being a maximum at theouter periphery 24 of 25 the eye and a minimum at the inner periphery25, the lateral walls 26 being oblique. Moreover the sides of the strapsmaking up the eyes converge as shown, so that the width of the eyetapers from its root 2'! where it is a maximum 30 for the outer partthereof at 28 when it is a minimum. Furthermore the eye has no sharplateral edges but these edges are rounded off more especially at theinner periphery as at 29. The outer extremity of the strap making up theeye is also rounded oil as at 30.

By the arrangement set forth the respective eyes are effectively roundedin every plane and are devoid of sharp edges so that they act in effectas universal joints. Jumbling together or locking or catching of theinitial links with respect to each other in use of the chain iseffectively precluded. Regardless how roughly the chain be handled andtwisted in actual use, it inherently straightens out when gently shakenonce, due to the roundness of the connecting eyes and rings in alldirections.

While in general the chain is built up 01' initials to form a name, itwill be understood that any sequence of insignia, emblems or ornamentscould be used, as the consecutive links, such as for instance, the signsof the zodiac. The term initial as used in the claims is intended toembrace within its scope such insignia, emblems and ornaments.

As many changes could be made in the above article and many apparentlywidely different embodiments of this invention could be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. As an article of personal wear, an initial chain assembly comprisinga set of metal initials, each having eye extensions atthe upper andlower ends thereof, each eye on each initial link being integraltherewith and constituting a unitary strap extension turned over as aloop, the sides of which converge from the root to the free end thereofand are rounded along the longitudinal edges thereof to precludejumbling or interlocking of the links, a ring held by the eye extensionat one end thereof, the ring of the succeeding initial link in the chainbeing retained by the corresponding eye of the preceding link.

2. As an article of personal wear, an initial chain assembly comprisinga set of metal initials each having eye extensions at the upper andlower ends thereof, each eye on each initial link being integraltherewith, and comprising a unitary strap extending in a cylindricalloop at right angles to the plane of the link, symmetrically of thethickness thereof, the strap of each loop having sides that convergefrom the root to the free end thereof, said strip tapering in width fromthe outside to the inside surface of the loop and being rounded alongits longitudinal edges, a ring held by the eye extension at one end ofsaid link, the ring of the succeeding initial link in the chain beingretained by the corresponding eye of the preceding link.

3. As an article of manufacture an initial link unit for assembly into achain, said unit comprising an initial link having unitary therewith apair of eyes extending from opposite ends of 'the initial andsymmetrical both with respect to the width and the thickness of theinitial unit, each of said eyes constituting a strap tapering in Widthfrom its root to the free end thereof, and also tapering in width fromthe outer periphery tothe inner periphery thereof and rounded at itsedges, one of said eyes being closed and having a small ring interlinkedtherewith, the other of said eyes being open as a hook, readily closedto form an eye, for facility of interlinking therewith the small ring ofa second initial unit.

MICHAEL CHERNOW.

